Her Reflections
by ZombieSam
Summary: When Annie is kidnapped and held hostage, whose to blame? Rated T for language and hints of naughty activities.
1. Chapter 1

**AN** Okay, don't pelt me with flaming ropes or anything, please. This is my first fanfic, I simply couldn't stay away. I'm simply in love with Covert Affairs and Mr. August Anderson. I would certainly pay a lot of money to own one for myself. I'm sure you hear that a lot, maybe you even think so yourself. But, I mean, look at him! How could you not?

**DISCLAIMER** I do not own Covert Affairs, Auggie, or any of the other characters. Oh, so sad...

She could feel the ropes cutting the circulation off of her wrists. The world around her was dark, the cloth digging into her face. _This must be what Auggie sees. _Pain ricocheted through her chest as the name echoed through her skull. _Auggie, I'm sorry. _Not that he would know. Not that he would ever know. Chances were slim she was going to make it out of here alive. Chances were even slimmer that he would talk to her again.

Against her will, the images of the fight popped to the front of her mind, drawing tears to her eyes. Her head hung, chin touching her chest as the blindfold grew wet with her tears. Her tears of regret. _"Annie, calm down," his voice was calm on the surface, but she could hear the anger shaking just below the surface. He wasn't the only one who had learned to read the other effectively. "No, Auggie, I won't calm down! You lied to me, you are the leak!" She could feel the tears springing to her eyes and she tried to grab ahold of herself. Auggie would catch the tremor in her voice. "I told you Annie, I'm not the leak. You have to believe me." Believe him? How could she believe him? Not only was he sleeping with the enemy, she had caught him on the phone with her several times. And from what she could tell, he was rolling over and begging her to scratch his belly, offering information important to the CIA to get her to do it. "I can't, Auggie, I can't. I thought you were better than this. I thought I could trust you. I thought I could fin..." her shaking voice trailed off as she backed away, her hand covering her mouth, tears flowing freely down her face. She turned away once she was far enough that he couldn't reach out and grab her. "Oh, Annie," _

His voice faded into oblivion as her sobbing picked up. They racked her body and she was shaking against her restraints. Only the robes tied tightly around her body kept her from falling forward onto the dirt floor of her holding cell. She didn't know where she was, not even the faintest idea. The world around her was dark and the only things she could smell were mold and moisture. _Underground. I have to be underground._ The idea hit her like a ton of bricks. Even if someone was trying to locate her, they wouldn't be able to. The only thing other than the smell she noticed was the chill. Almost as soon as the thought registered in her mind, it registered in her body. No longer was she only shaking from crying, but now from cold. Cold and somethig else: fear.

Fingers drummed against his desk, Mingus playing in his ears. The easy jazz filtered his thoughts into subcategories. What to deal with now, and what to deal with later. Unfortunately, as his aching ego told him, Annie was filed under now. Sighing heavily, the music jerked to an abrupt halt with a light press of his finger. The glass of his desk was smooth under his hand as he inched it towards his lazer cane before removing the headphones from his head. This wasn't going to be easy, but he missed the sound of her kitten heels and her Jo Malone Grapefruit. It was like the oxygen was missing from his life with her gone from his side. _How could you let yourself get this close to her, you moron? You don't deserve her love. You're selfish, you're greedy, you're inconsiderate. You want her all to yourself, she will never belong to you, you bastard._ The thoughts were true, in his opinion. He didn't deserve the love of such a wonderful woman, she deserved better than a lonely blind man. Hell, he couldn't even compliment her beauty, only her smell. That wouldn't suffice forever.

The green light swept the floor of the DPD and he dodged other agents. No one tried to stop him to talk to him, they could see the determination etched on his face. But her desk was empty. Her smell was faint, she hadn't visited it today. She hadn't been to her desk since leaving friday, and then she'd been to his to offer him a ride home, which of course, he had accepted. Maybe it had been better he hadn't, then they never would have fought, she wouldn't be mad with him. Would she?

"She's not here, August," Jai's voice cut through his thoughts before the arguement could play itself in his head. He felt himself tense as he turned toward the other man. His head cocked to the side as his sightless eyes jerked towards the direction of his voice. "I'm assuming you know where she is, Jai?"

"Last I saw she was talking to Joan. You might wanna try her." And without another word, Joan's office was his next destination. He had to fix things with Annie. He felt like his world was falling apart, she hadn't even said hello to him. Of course it was bound to happen in the midst of a fight. She would remain angry with him until things were fixed. And this time, it was him that would have to do the fixing. Her crying, the sound was awful. It grated his heart, ripping it to pieces. Such a horrible sound, the thing he hated most was her crying. It made it worse that it was his fault she had cried, his fault the saline had leaked from her eyes. Leak, that was what had started it all, and now he feared he had lost the one person he could truly trust.

He didn't bother knocking, she would know he was coming. In fact, she was leaning against her desk waiting for him. Her presence was much closer to the door than usual. "Joan, where's Annie?" His voice was the only sound inside the office.

"She's not here Auggie. She's on a mission," something in her voice didn't sound right, something that he could barely detect. "Why wasn't I informed," not a question, he was sure she could hear the desperation he tried to hide. Seemed like Annie was always able to fry his emotions. She had removed something without meaning to, leaving him raw and vulnerable. His emotions open for anyone to see. "She asked me not to tell you." It was all he was going to get, and he knew it. He turned sharply, nearly bumping into the wall. A shuffling of clothing was behind him, but he waved Joan off. Right now, he didn't want to be touched. If Annie wanted to play this game, then so be it.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN** Oh, you are all so lovely. With promises of Auggie plushies and the love you offer, how could I not oblige? I mean, I'd have to be heartless not to recognize that my fic is loved. I didn't expect such a thing with my first ever, so thank you all. Also, as this will be more of an Annie chapter than an Auggie chapter, I think I shall switch every other one. Sadly, this means lesser mentions of our beloved. BUT, it also means ! Cookies and Auggie plushies for all!

**DISCLAIMER** Oh, if only we COULD own our own Covert Affairs and Auggies the world would be such a wonderful place. Anyway, on with the chapter! :3

Her breathing grew haggard as she realized the extremity of her situation. Here she was, blindfolded, gagged and tied to a chair. Underground. Alone. Alone. Her hands clenched and unclenched in a weak effort to loosen her binds. It was useless, and she knew it. There was no way she would be able to escape this on her own. Honestly, the way she saw it, there was no way she would be able to escape. Period.

All her efforts were futile. Her binds were too tight and she was underground somewhere in the middle of God knows where. Who was to say she was even in Kuwait any longer. A simple brush-pass they had told her. Seemed like they were never simple when it came to her. Other operatives she had spoken to went through hundreds of brush-pass missions without a single mishap. Every one she had had had ended terribly. Why had she thought this one would be any different?

She knew why. Something Auggie had said, a long time ago_. "There's a first time for everything, Annie Walker."_ God, why had she said such things to him. Was it just yesterday? A week ago? Damn, how long **had** she been out?

Her thoughts were interrupted, though, before she could even begin to try to figure out the time. She felt her spine stiffen as a door creaked on its hinges. _Someone should really oil those.___Why one earth would she think of a thing like that at a time like this? She should be more focused on the person walking towards her now. Man, not heavy-set but not small either. His hair brushed the ceiling, so he was either very tall or the ceiling was very low.

"Annie Walker, so nice to see you again," his voice echoed around her, suggesting he was quite taller than she was. She struggled against her restraints again, drawing a chuckle from the man. "Oh, Annie dear, you can't escape. You should have realized that by now. You're here until I'm absolutely finished with you. And I don't see myself finished with such a pretty young thing any time soon." His voice was full of dominance and she wanted nothing more than to beat the living daylights out of him.

And then there was a new sound in the room. Just a faint sound, one she nearly missed. Metal against leather, and she hadn't figured out it was a knife until the cool silver was pressed against her cheek, drawing a startled grunt from her gagged mouth. Maybe they weren't too far underground if he had felt the need to stop her from screaming.

"Dear, I can see the steam pouring from your ears. No one can find you, my pretty little dove. I wouldn't worry too much. It won't hurt long, love." The blade pressed into the skin of her face and her gasp was inaudible against the fabric tied around her mouth. The cuts continued, spread throughout her entire body, each drawing a gasp, some a muffled scream. But he was right about one thing. The pain didn't last long, for everything went black. Blacker then even the darkness the blindfold had produced, and her mind went blank as she fell into the deep abyss of unconciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN **I've discovered that reviews make me the happiest person in the world. When the little box pops up in the corner of my screen to tekk me that I have a new one, I feel like I'ma explode. And I LOVE it. Thank you all for making me explode! Keep the explosions coming :3 I apologize if my taxi estimate is completely off. I don't live in Virginia, I've never ridden in a taxi. My calculations were done on my crappy computer calculator to the best of my sleep ridden, exhausted mind.

**DISCLAIMER** I guess I'ma have to die inside with every chapter saying this...I don't own Covert Affairs or Mr. August Anderson. You can't see it, but I'm crying right now XD

This was starting to get ridiculous. He was fuming, pretty sure there was steam rolling from his ears. His techies were steering clear, knowing all too well to avoid him when he was in such a mood. They knew, as well, why he was in such a mood. Time was passing slowly for Auggie without Annie around. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he still missed the sound of her kitten heels and her Jo Malone grapefruit.

The side of his fist slammed down on his desk, jarring everyone from their meditative states. He stood quickly, jerking his lazer cane from his pocket. The green light swept the floor, the agents, desks, chairs, anything in his path. People walking in twos were seperated by the wind of his storm. August Anderson was certainly a force to be reckoned with when he kicked up a temptest. Just like before, not a person tried to stop him.

The cab that pulled up curbside smells of baby vomit and urine, but he entered anyway. A swish of air told him the cabbie had turned his head. His voice confirmed it. "Where ya goin', bud?" His voice was accented deeply and for a half second he wondered where the man was from. Shaking his head, he refocused on the man. "Just drive," his own voice was low and tense.

An hour had passed before he knew it and he tapped the man on his shoulder. He braked at a red light, turning silently. "Could you return me to where you picked me up?" He could hear the man grumbling under his breath, thinking he couldn't be heard. The floor beneath his feet vibrated as the ca picked up speed. Huh. Most cabbies drove slow to run up the meter. Maybe this one had decided his passenger was crazy and just wanted to get rid of him. No matter, it didn't take as long as he thought to return to the end of the block where it had all started.

"How much?" It took all he had not to cringe at the falter in his voice. Where had that come from? His cabbie, however, didn't notice. Or he just ignored it. "Three twenty-five from the start, plus forty cents per quarter mile. One sixty-three twenty-five's what the meter says." He could hear his wallet groaning in protest. There went his lunch for the week.

His cane tapped against the cement blocks. All too soon, he reached the steps of the CIA headquarters. With a sigh, he started up the steps when Joan's voice cut through the thick fog clouding his mind. "Auggie, I'm glad your back. We need your help," her hand gripped his elbow as he folded his cane up. Her steps were quick as she rushed into the building. How long exactly had she been standing there, waiting for him? "Joan, what's happened?"

"Annie." He heard her pick up her pace as his quickened. Even in the midst of a fight with Annie, she was still important in his life. Something serious had to be wrong with the agent for Joan to turn to him. Especially considering Annie had specifically requested for him to not be her techie. It still hurt to think of it, that she didn't want him in her ear. "You're falling behind, Joan." She chuckled at his forced light tone but concern laced her face. He was holding back, waiting for the real news.

Safely sealed inside Joan's office, she released his arm. The clink of her personal coffee pot alerted him to her position and he turned in her direction. "Joan? What's going on?" Without a word, she slipped a warm cup of coffee into his hands. Cream and sugar, just like he liked. He sipped at the beverage, his hearing tuned to Joan's voice. "We've recieved a video from Kuwait concerning Annie. I want you to hear it."

His nerves skyrocketed as he moved closer to the television that had been brought in. The DVD player clicked several times as the disk slid into the player. Static filled the television and then it was quiet. His fingers tapped against the smooth ceramic mug, waiting. Suddenly there was noise again, but not what he wanted to hear. A distant sobbing filled the quiet of the office and his knuckles turned white with fear. Annie. Annie was crying. Annie was crying in Kuwait. But why? Why was it muffled? Questions swirled in his mind before a lithe hand touched his arm. He jumped, and then there was a voice, one he was sure he didn't recognize. _"You're agent is mine now." _Quiet.

"What?" His voice roared through Joan's office, causing her to freeze. Then the shock set in and his full coffee mug slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN **Don't you just love how you don't notice any spelling or grammar mistakes until after its already posted? I've kicked myself several times in the rear for that little "you're" mistake at the end. Also, as a side note, I'd like to tell you that if words should be spaced or I'm missing a "b", I apologize. See, my laptop sucks, and it made me mad so I hit it...and broke the b and the space...But since I love you all and I love Covert Affairs dearly, I have decided to push through my broken keyboard so you and I can continue to indulge in our guilty pleasures: Covert Affairs and August Anderson!

**DISCLAIMER **I state again, I don't own Covert Affairs or a lovely Auggie. Though I wish with all my might that I did...I'd share it with all of you! But, I'm sorry, Auggie'd be sleeping at my house :3

Light filtered through the tinted window and onto her barely covered body. Her hands were still tied behind her back, her ankles locked tightly together. The gag tied tightly around the bottom half of her face made her fear her jaw would fall off. She grunted as the items in the back of the van shifted and her head banged off the floor. Cans, bottles, wrappers and even a toothbrush slid across the floor of the vehicle as it moved. Wait...she could see them moving. When had they removed her blindfold?

Rolling onto her back, she attempted to sit up. The burning sensations ripping all through her abdomen quickly erased the thought from her mind and she allowed her body to slump back against the hard bottom. She flipped to her side as her back started tingling. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed tiny patches of blood where she had just laid. Her back? They had sliced her back too?

All of a sudden, the van slid to an abrupt halt and she slammed against the wall. A groan of pain erupted from her gagged mouth and she watch in despair as fresh blood stained the skimpy tank top she wore. She didn't remember putting it on that morning, which meant they had changed her. Removed her clothing, saw things meant only for the one person most important in her life to see. Or, ya know, _not_ see. She shuddered at the thought. What else had happened while the darkness consumed her? The thought both horrified and angered her.

Her eyes squeezed closed at the light that was suddenly unbearable. A silhouette blocked the middle in a matter of seconds, and she squinted to see his face. If she made it out of this, she wanted to be able to convict this bastard without a single hint of doubt. The man she saw was nothing like she expected. Not only had she expected an American, but she hadn't expected a man from the country the intel was coming from. The wrap on his head reached his mid back, the rope he wore was as black as night. His face was haggard with age and abuse, stubble covered the bottom half of his face. Her heart sank as she realized he could shave it and she would never know him from another. Unless...she could use the deep scar below his right eye for identification.

"Hello, dear. Its good to see you're finally awake. I've got a surprise for you." Her stomach curled at the smirk on his face and she felt sick. This wasn't going to be a good surprise. Not for her, no, nothing this man had planned was going to work in her favor. _Annie, you've got to get yourself out of here. If you stay here you're going to die. You'll never see Danielle again. Katia, Chloe, Michael either. You'll never see Auggie aga_- She was jerked from her thoughts as the man pulled her from the van and slung her over his shoulder. The long moan of pain couldn't be held in as she fell onto the sharp bone. It seemed he had done so on purpose. So many cuts were irritated by the sudden jolt and she felt the sticky crimson liquid drained from her stomach onto his shoulder.

She knew she was losing too much blood in one day as the black lipped at the edges of her consciousness again. He must have felt her going limp against him because he flicked her ankle with his free hand. "Now now darling. None of that. You'll have to stay awake and see what I've got you. You'll simply love it," sickening joy laced his words, but it did no good for Annie as she sank into the pain free abyss once again. He shook his head with disappointment as her restrained body relaxed against him.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN** I love you all. That's it. I love you. Don't fight it, just accept it.

**DISCLAIMER** *sigh* I don't own them...

Darkness stared back at him. Not only his usual darkness, the darkness that he was used to, but the darkness of his office as well. The tempurature had dropped once he had flipped the switch and turned the light off. An emotionless Auggie had quieted the groans from his techies and he could feel their occasional looks of worries cast to him. Only a few people had seen the video of Annie, they hadn't. But the way he was dead on his feet, they had quickly guessed it was something to do with her. Arthur had seen it, and Jai. Joan, of course, and himself, but none of them would tell him how Annie looked. Which meant it was bad, but he still wanted to know. _Dammit, she wouldn't be like this if you had just apologized. You should have waited for her. Talked to her before she entered the building. You should have went to her house!_

His fist slammed to the glass desk in front of him and less than a second later his head followed. Annie would tell him he was silly for blaming himself. Annie would tell him that it was all her fault that she had been captured. Annie would- "When was the last time anyone established communication with Walker?" He stood in one fluid motion, turning on his heel towards the other techs. "Uh...2100, sir." His fingers automatically jerked to his wrist watch, flipping the cover open. _0200. Damn. So much time has passed._ "And when did you discover that her earpiece had been destoryed?" "About 2300, sir."

He didn't bother sitting back down, no, that was a waste of precious time. His fingers were almost as light as a feather as he traced them over the keyboard. His mouth moved silently with each word he typed. _C'mon, type faster. You're losing time!_ Never before had he typed as fast as he was now. There was no way he could go faster, no matter how much he wanted to. But if he could trace the piece to the moment before it was destroyed, they had a chance. It was a slim chance, but it **was** a chance. _Qasr as Sabiyah_. What was she doing there? Protocol was supposed to send her to Ash Shuaybah...

His steps were as quick as he dared. He needed a copy of Annie's protocol _now_. "Joan, do you have a copy of the protocol?" He had startled her, he could tell, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. "Ju-just a moment, Auggie," her heels thudded on the carpet to the printer installment. One they had purchased just for himself. The gears cranked as it translated the regular protocol into braille. As quick as he knew it worked, it seemed to take years before the paper was jammed into his waiting hand.

One hand slid beneath the paper, the fingertips of the other sliding over the bumps. _A-s-h S-h-u-a-y-b-a-h._ "And you're **sure** Walker got an exact copy of this, word for word?" "Of course, Auggie. What did you find?" A grin broke his face, and using a finger to motion for her to follow he practically jumped out of her office.

She flipped the lights back on as they entered the room, but he didn't mind. He was too excited, they had a lead. If this went right, they could find her. They could bring her home to her family, to the DPD, to him. The softness of his chair met his tense body and his hand swept to the screen. "Read, m'dear," he said as he leaned against the back of his chair, her spicy smell leaning just a tad closer to the screen. "Qasr as Sabiyah? What was Annie doing there?"

His finger waggled in her direction as his grin grew bigger. "Exactly. The way I'm seeing this, no pun intended, they didn't find her earpiece until **after** she had been kidnapped. If I can locate her direct location until it was smashed, we can go from there. She should be within three hours from it. If we're lucky, she's closer than that." "Good, Auggie, we've got someone trying to track the video as well," her hand touched his shoulder briefly and then the rush of spices told her she was gone. _Back to work, Auggie._


	6. Chapter 6

**AN** WHO ELSE LOVED THE NEW EPISODES? I know I did! I'm not a big fan of Jai or Ben, but the fight at the end? Lord, I was stunned. And then KAPOWKAPOW! I almost stopped breathing. What a way to leave us, dangling on the edge of nothing. FOR ALMOST A YEAR. USA can be so evil. Thank God for FF and all you lovely CA writers. It'll help fill the expecting void.

This chapter is just a tad bit different. A little more angsty for Annie, but I promise it won't get graphic :3 And please, please, please don't injure me for what I'ma do to her...

**DISCLAIMER** No matter how much I wish I owned them, I don't. I understand it, but that doesn't mean I like it...

Total darkness. They had blindfolded her again. _No, no dear. Just open your eyes._ They shot open, her head jerking from side to side as she tried to find any clues as to where she was. Tied to a bed, her arms above her head, ankles to the railposts at the bottom. Perfect position for- _No!_ No thoughts of a such a horrible treatment would be allowed to drift through her subconcious. She wouldn't let them. But still...

She shook her head, trying to dispense the thought. She should have never allowed even a miniscule amount of it flow through her imagination. Hadn't she been taught better than this at the Farm? It was then that she noticed the IV hanging near her head. The sticky liquid made her queasy and she felt the bile rise in her throat. Blood. Quickly, she turned away before the acid made its way to her mouth. How had he gotten the blood? More importantly, how had the man found out her own blood type? Such a rare type was hard to find. One could just walk into a hospital and ask for a few pints of Type AB negative. Unless, in Kuwait, you could.

Her muscles tensed as she pulled against her restraints. No good. All she got was noise and pain. Her wrists were already rubbed raw from her previous - days? - bondages. _Wrong word, Annie,_ she thought with a jolt, returning her train of thought to previous dealings. What exactly did this man want from her? Information? She had none. Love? Her's had already been given away. She didn't know when the thought had become a reality, but it was true. That left one thing any single man wanted. Sex. Not only did it explain why she was tied to the bed in such a position, but it also clarified the reason she was still living. He wanted to torture her. He wanted her.

Dammit, why her? This wasn't something that happened to you, this was the life of some other poor fool who had gotten herself caught. Not Annie Walker. Her head plopped down against the pillow in defeat. She couldn't get out of this one. Not by herself.

Her meager relaxations lasted only seconds, for a light creaking sound drew her attention to a dark door at the far end of the room. It was no wonder it hadn't been noticed sooner, as dimly lit as the room was. _Where __**was**__ the light coming from?_ She could see no windows, she could see no sources of light whatsoever. "Show yourself, you bastard!" Her voice was rough from disuse, cracking as she yelled. His chuckle came from the shadows, sending a chill down her spine. She wanted to throw something at him, she wanted to strangle him for abducting him, she wanted to bash his head against the wall until he couldn't move.

But she couldn't. She knew it. He knew it. Of course he knew it, he had been the one to put her in such a position. "Dear Annie, it sounds like you're anxious to see me. Or, is it your suprise you're anxious for? No, no, don't tell me you've forgotten," she could hear the false shock drowning his voice. "Of course you haven't. You wouldn't do a thing like that to poor old me, would you?" He stepped from the shadows, his hands clasped behind his back. His feet shuffled on the ground, dirt floor? Again? She couldn't think of a way for the CIA to track her, so why was he still hiding?

His fingers brushed against her cheek and she flinched under the fake-compassionate touch. "Now, now dear, let's not behave that way," he jerked back as she spat in his face, his hand drawing back. His rough skin made contact with her smooth, slinging her head to the side with a pop. Her gasp surrounded them and she felt tears spring to her eyes. "W-What do you want from me?" She cringed at the weakness in her voice, wishing she had Auggie in her ear to make her strong.

"It's not what I _want_ from you. It's what I'm going to _get_ from you," his voice was menacing and she felt herself begin to shake. She wasn't highly religious, but she felt herself breaking down. She could hear the quiet sounds of fabric rustling sent the tears streaming down her face. _Lord, please let me get out of this. Please let me out. Please let me out. Please let me out._ She repeated the phrase over and over in her head as she felt him against her, her head turned to the side, eyes scrunched closed as she refused to look at him. _Please let me out..._


	7. Chapter 7

**AN** Okay, seeing as I had hit a dead end on how to have our dearest Auggie find his Annie, I resorted to asking for help. Yes, I know, shocking. But, its all good. I swallowed my pride - without choking, I might add - and got a solution. So, without further ado, and knowing you probably won't read this, I would still like to think Mooney (mah best friend :3) for helping out with my problem. This wouldn't be such a big deal if she had watched any of Covert Affairs XD Now, guys, lets not strangle her for it. She's more of an anime person than a crime drama person, but I still love her. Though the anime/ crime drama difference is a bad thing, its not as horrible as the Pepsi/ Coke fued. Which we also partake in. I'm Coke, she's Pepsi. Somewho, we're still the best of friends. Don't ask us how, we haven't been able to figure it out either.

Anyway, enough of that, though I would like to take this chance to beg your forgiveness if this doesn't turn out very realistic. We are, afterall, just a couple of sixteen year old girls who have never worked for any part of the government. But thanks again, Moon, for your help :3 On with the story!

**DISCLAIMER** Yeah, yeah, you all know how this goes...We say we don't own them then cry for an hour. Yeah, true story.

His hand skimmed the edge of his desk as he paced, his shoulders tense with stress. His eyes slid closed as he tried to knock all thoughts of what might be happening to her from the front of his mind. Right now he needed to focus on how to find her. How to bring her home, where she was safe. But try as he might, he couldn't think of anything. The sound that rumbled from deep in his chest was strangled and desperate, and he heard the typing cease as his techies looked at him. He could feel their hesitation as the looked at him and a tensed look sent them scrambling back to their keyboards.

Drawing a deep breath, he resumed his pacing, his foot bumping into a moved wastebasket, nearly sending him crashing to the floor. "Dammit, Stu!" He could feel the shift in the air as the techies flinched at his harshened voice and he felt a twinge of guilt. But they knew better than to leave things in different places with a blind man around. With a grunt he threw the basket across the room and he heard it rebound off the wall and roll across the floor. He'd be tripping over that later.

Wait... He froze, thoughts whirling around, crashing against the walls of his brain at light speed. He could hear the faint clicking of Greg and Stu typing growing slower as they turned to see why his pacing had stopped. Slowly, ever so slowly, a grin spread across his face. "An idea, guys," he explained quickly. "I've finally got an idea!" His excitement was contagious, apparently, because within seconds both techies had whirled their chairs to face him. Fingers tapped against the armrest of the chair to his left, but he was too excited to let it bug him.

"A language expert, guys. That's how we'll find this bastard. Track his accent, then ask around. Someone's bound to know him!" Their hesitation was thick, and he sensed something they didn't want to say. "Spit it out," he snapped, and the brushing of fabric suggested they were cringing away. "Even if we do find out who he is, Auggie, we still don't know how to find him. We still don't know how to find Annie..." Greg's voice trailed off, and Auggie's excitement dimmed a tad. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, boys. First things first, we need an expert, and I think I have the perfect one in mind."

)*(*)*(*)*(

Dr. Mark Ramsey was rated high in Annie's "Favorite People List," so naturally, Auggie had requested him first and foremost. The man was smart, Annie adored him, and he knew as many languages as her. Maybe more. This was a crucial thing in the investigation, and he already knew of her involvement with the CIA. But he was still flustered when men in suits had showed up on his doorstep at 0516 to take him to headquarters. At first, he had refused, stating that it was Saturday and he wished to sleep in. Then they had quietly informed him that his favorite student was in trouble and he had quickly donned a warm coat and slip on shoes and hurried out the door, leaving his wife staring after him with concern. He could explain most of it later, after he had helped Annie.

And that led them to where they were now. With Auggie once again pacing while the aging Professor used his favorite headphones to analyze the video. Auggie had been the one to suggest them. Not only did they block out all outside sounds, but they also blocked sounds in. Honestly, he wasn't sure he could listen to her helpless whimpering again without breaking down. He prayed his idea would work, that they could use his voice to pinpoint the region of his birth.

What seemed like years later, the man finally drew the headphones from his head. "This man is not from Kuwait," he began and Auggie froze, turning to him. "Close, though. Very close, actually. He has an Iraqi accent. Basrah, to be exact," he finished and Auggie struggled to contain his joy. They had a chance. They had a chance to bring her home.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN** So, I feel like a jerk for not acknowledging my lovely reviews, so once this story has completed itself, I shall have a chapter thanking every single one of you individually. Yes, I love you all that much. And I apologize for taking much longer to update this time than any others, but I was left kind of museless and instead of coming home and doing the tasks I am forced to do daily, I slept. Delaying everything else, so, yeah...But its here now! I hope you love me still :3

**DISCLAIMER **Instead of saying it again, I'm just going to crawl into a hole and pretend I own it...

The room was completely and utterly quiet around her, the only sounds were the soft _drip-drip_ of the blood IV and her shallow breathing. Her slight frame shook against the bed, her restraints no longer restraining her. The dark was comforting where it had been ominus and depressing only hours earlier. It hid her actions from everyone, including herself, and allowed her what little peace she could grasp. Which, reflecting on all of the events of the past -_ how many hours had it been?_ - wasn't much. One thought held her sanity in place, no matter how rocky it was. Someone was waiting for her back home. Someone she held near and dear to her broken and ragged heart. August Anderson.

She thought maybe she had dozed. Not intentionally, of course, her body had shut itself down from extreme exhaustion again. Despite her being used to pushing it beyond its limits, it still wiped the energy slate clean. The green health bar from Mario pushed its way to the front of her exhausted mind, blinking bright red. She was running on empty. Some mushrooms would really help in her case. Wait, was it mushrooms that boosted his health? Auggie would know...

"Maybe its good that you fought with him," she whispered to herself, so quietly she could barely hear herself. "Now when you don't make it out of this you don't have to worry about him losing a friend." Her cheeks burned in the wake of the fresh wave of tears rushing down her face. She didn't want to lose Auggie. She didn't want to lose Danielle or Michael. Katia or Chloe. She didn't want to lose her life and everything it entitled. She was helping people, whether that had been her original intention to join the CIA or not, and she didn't want to stop. But she would be. She was going to die in this God forsaken hellhole alone, with light filtering in through some space she couldn't pinpoint with only the dripping of her IV for company.

She felt her knees draw to her chest as the man entered the room once again, carrying a chair and a large box. "Ah, good to see you're awake, Miss Walker. I thought you might like some company," his voice was deep and it sent shivers down her spine. Not the same that Auggie's did, these were shivers of fear. This man had already proved that he wasn't afraid to hurt her, nor was he scared of anything America would do in her wake. "You see, your people have discovered that I have you and it is only a matter of time before they come knocking on my door. By that time, I plan to have disposed of you cleanly," those damn shivers raced along her spine again.

"My friends here will be helping out," he rumbled, gesturing to the box sitting on the chair. Listening closely, she could hear a light shuffling inside. What did he have in there that would devour an entire human body? He glided toward her, drawing a needle from his pocket. She cringed away, drawing to the other side of the bed. "No worries, my love. I won't be touching you again once this has taken effect. I'm done with you, dear." The clear liquid blended with the thick crimson and her fingers scrabbled for the IV in her arm. Grinning, the man lunged for her, pinning her arms above her head. She wouldn't be able to rip it from her skin, not with him holding her, so she did the only sensible thing that came to mind. She fought him.

Her knee jerked up into his ribs and she glowed with self-satisfaction at his groan. One hand moved from her pinned wrists as he drew his arm back, slamming his fist into her ribs. She felt the scream build in her chest seconds before she voiced it. He had broken ribs so easily, without a second thought, without a hint of remorse or guilt. She couldn't help wondering what he had done that could have prepared him for this level of torture, but the thought was over quickly. His fingers pressed to the snapped bones and she howled in pain. "Want to try that again?" Her head jerked from side to side as he dipped his head closer to her face. "I didn't think so," he muttered, his voice warm on her neck.

Slowly, through the throbbing pain and the fear of his close proximity, she felt the drug taking effect. A sleeper, surely something strong enough to knock her out while whatever he had in the box devoured her alive. Her vision had already grown fuzzy when he released her, flitting easily through the dark back to the chair. Casually, he knocked it to the ground and continued towards the door, looking over his shoulder once as the starving rats filed out of their cell. "It was nice knowing you, Annie. I hope you enjoy my friends as much as I did," and then he was gone, the door slamming behind him.

Fear creeped through her veins as the beady eyes slowly appeared all around her, and then it was dark. Her eyes scrunched closed and she prayed the drugs would take effect soon, but she knew it wasn't a possibility when she felt the tiny teeth breaking skin. She swatted at them weakly, and they drew away before striking with renewed vigor. _Auggie, I'll never be able to tell you, but I'm sorry. God, I'm sorry. I lo..._ Her thoughts trailed off as the blessed darkness engulfed her, passing out with the rodents nibbling through the skin tight clothing and her thin skin.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN** Heh, rats, yes. I blame television, saw a movie where a guy put a rat on this guys stomach, put a bucket over it then used a torch to heat it up. Only one way out, ya know, through the guy. So, I figured, why wouldn't a bunch of half dead sarving rats eat the easy prey: Annie? Brilliant, I know. Hold you applause, please hold your applause. You aren't clapping...are you? No need to say it, I'll still provide you with story, mainly because without Covert Affairs, I'm withering. But this helps fill my lonely heart with joy!

This chapter was quite a bit harder to write than the others, and I don't know why. So, please don't be angry for taking so long.

**DISCLAIMER** I'm not saying it any more. That's final.

Honestly, how long could it take the extraction team to reach her? He had given them the address himself, repeating it over six times until they read it back to him perfectly. He wasn't going to allow them to waste time by busting down the door to the wrong home. No, Annie didn't have time for that to happen. He felt useless now, like he always did when he lost contact with Annie. Not that he had established it in the first place.

Surely there had to be a rut in the floor from his restless pacing. Greg and Stu had given up on trying to get him to take a seat and wait. They didn't understand how pacing could distract him. For a blind man to pace, they had to focus on each step to prevent colliding with any object lying around. Of course, he wasn't exactly doing an excellent job of avoiding the sharp edges and rolling chairs. Each time he bumped into them, they moved, sending them to a new location for him to hit.

The earpiece attached to his left ear crackled as the extraction team moved quickly to the destination. It seemed centuries to him, they weren't moving fast enough. Who knew what was happeing to her, who knew is she was still al- "No, no," his voice cracked with stress. Neither techie asked who he was talking to, what he was talking about. Both had their own earpieces, so they knew what he was hearing. So, of course, they knew he was talking to himself.

He froze midstep as a voice cracked over the static, a deep voice. "Extraction team on site, preparing to enter," the faceless voice droned and Auggie's hands clenched at his sides, brushing the fabric of his pants. Not much longer, not much longer. He could hear the door creaking open, his trained ears picking up on the light sound. Stu and Greg had ceased typing and were listening to the extraction as well.

"One code black, one code red. MedAir being notified now." Had the room tipped? No, that was just him. He realized such when his knees collided with the smooth tile and his hands flew out to stop from all out falling. Two sets of steps rushed to him, gripping his upper arms. They lifted him slowly, moving just as slowly across the room to his rejected chair. As soon as he was sitting, his elbows pressed into his knees, his hands in his hair. Both techs moved back, offering space and comfort at the same time. "The girl is alive. I repeat, Walker is breathing."

)*(*)*(*)*(

His fingers danced against the armrest of the airplane seat, the craft tipping from side to side with turbulance. Impatience was the only thing that laced his movements though, not a trace a fear soaked him. No, he wasn't sure anything would scare him again, not after what had happened within the past seventy-six hours. Annie had scared the fear from him, it had all disappeared once after the extraction team alerted him to her heart rate. The man, the Annie-napper, had killed himself. They had found him hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen, in full view of the window. Maybe he had wanted people to see his lifeless body when they walked by. Had he expected Annie to be long dead by the time anyone had discovered the corpse? Despite his earlier thoughts, he felt himself beginning to shake again. Fear, there it was again. Maybe it was only things having to do with his best friend that would bring the burning fright to him.

_"Flight 209 to Qasr as Sabiyah decending in approximately ten minutes," _the voice over the loudspeaker caused him to start, making him bump his elbow against the armrest. He gripped his tingling elbow for a moment before the words registered in his mind. All around him he could hear seatbelts clicking. He assumed the seatbelt lights were blinking, so he quickly began the search for his own. His fingers brushed along the soft fabric of the seat before a stewardess arrived at his side, snatching the belt before he could reach it. Her honeysuckle scented perfume flooded his senses and he forced himself not to cringe away. "Let me help you, sir," he could hear the desperation in her voice. He hadn't heard her approach, so he guessed she was small.

She brushed against him as she stretched across his chest, clicking the belt in place. He shrunk against the back of his seat as she lingered, his arm still stretched across his chest, fingers pressed against the chair. He could feel her want drifting off her in waves as she drew back, all but smothering him with herself. "You let me know if you want anything, honey." He forced a smile. Only one woman was on his mind now, one woman he was determined to reach as soon as he could.

)*(*)*(*)*(

The fingers of his right hand trailed along the cool stone of the hospital, his cane tapping against the floor. He had to move slow; the hospital was a completely new situation to him. People skirted around him, something he was all too glad for. "Sir, can I help you?" The light shuffling told him a nurse had approached him, her voice heavy with accent. He turned quickly to the voice, his eyes searching helplessly for her. "I'm looking for a woman, my friend, she was just brought in. Her name is Alex Stewart," his fingers clenched around his cane, brows furrowed with worry. The nurse seemed to understand immediately because she grabbed his elbow, pulling him forward. "Ms. Stewert is in surgery, you wait here. I'll get you when she's out," her voice was kind and Auggie couldn't help but believe her. He didn't have a chance to speak before he was pushed into a chair and the nurse was shuffling away again, back to work.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN** I'm not even going to bother trying to feed you an excuse as to why I haven't posted a new chapter recently, I'm just going to give it to you and hope you all haven't lost hope on the story. This may be the last chapter. I'm happy with the length, but I'm not quite sure if I want to leave it here or not. Who knows, if you guys want it, I may just do a sequel :3

Oh, I also give you full permission to beat me with scalding rocks for making you wait so long.

I know I was asked not to make this too cliché, but it, ya kow, kinda happened...I started typing, and this is what happened. I'm so sorry, that it kind of is, but like I said, it just happened.

**DISCLAIMER **You know I don't own...

A haze hung over her eyes and she felt numb all over. A consistant beeping echoed in her left ear and her skin felt stretched by the needles pressed into her. She fought the blessed darkness that had consumed her recent life; she had to know where she was. This place wasn't dark like those previous had been. It didn't reek of mold, nor did it smell damp. Instead, it felt safe, as though the entire world were protecting her.

She was confused. The last she remembered, those horrible gleaming eyes, the flashing yellow teeth. The tiny pricks, the skin peeling from her muscles. The horrible smell of carion, drifting from the open mouths of those terrifying little creatures. But she was helpless the fight them off, the fatigue of the anethasia the man had inserted in her veins setting her free. But what had happened? If this was the afterlife, she didn't want to stay. Not with that beeping, the too clean smell, the raspy cloth covering her, the strong grip on her right hand.

Fighting the haze, she began the slow process of lifting her hand, the other adding extra weight. The dose of morphine covered the initial shock of pain that shot through her body, leaving her unaware. But as she continued to lift, unconciously ignoring the paroxysm sweeping over her in waves, it shot through her again, causing her to gasp aloud. The body beside her shot to his feet, his hand gripping her's tighter. His hair was rumpled, his eyes blood-shot, but it was Auggie. The ECG rocketed, her heart race increasing. She could feel the cuts of her face splitting, but her hand gripped his as tight as she could. She knew he could feel the change, however slight, because his face broke from the frightened man to the joyous man.

"Annie? You're awake?" She could hear the sleep riding his voice, and she moved her hand to twine her fingers with his. "Mhm," she was heavy with drowsiness, the short two-syllable sound the only thing she could provide. Perhaps he could sense her exhaustion, for he sat back down, squeezing her fingers. She could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again, the words growing closer with each letter. "Sleep, dear. I'll be here when you wake, Anne," and his lips pressed to her forehead before the drugs took her under once more.

)*(*)*(*)*(

Panic coursed through her veins when she woke again. Auggie had lied to her. Here she was, awake, and he was no where in the room. Her hand was cold without his; it felt almost naked. He was the last person she figured would lie to her, and he had. The ECG kicked to life again, her pace jumping up to the high nineties. A nurse scurried into the room, quick to check on her patient. Her hands wavered over her, but Annie drew back. She didn't need help, nor did she want it. All she wanted was Auggie, but he had lied to her.

And then, he was in the room, a warm cup of coffee in his hand. He froze as the quick beeping registered in his mind, and his hand shot out with anxiety, searching for something to lead him to her bed. "Annie? Annie, what's wrong," he didn't know if she was awake or not, but he spoke anyway, fear lacing his words. She hadn't flat-lined, but this could very well be just as bad. "Annie," distress coated his speech, her breath hitching. "Aug," her voice was low, just above a whisper, but she knew he had heard. His shoulders dropped several inches with relief and his movements became less jerky and hurried.

His fear cleared, he reached her bedside in seconds, his hand now searching for hers. The beeping slowed quickly, leaving the nurse no excuse to stay. He listened for the soft shuffling of the nursing shoes to quiet, leaving them alone once again in the room. "So, are you going to tell me what happened just now?" Her hand shook in his. He brought his other up to clutch it, encasing the one he held between both of her, his coffee forgotten on the bedside table. "You weren't here when I woke up..." her voice trailed off and guilt took him over. "Annie, I'm sorry, I just went for a cup of coffee. If I'd known you were going to wake again so soon, I wouldn't have left. I expected you to be out longer, it's only been a few hours." His fingers squeezed her's in apology once more, his sightless eyes desperately searching for her face. In response, she merely gripped his had tighter and drew it closer to herself. In turn, he moved closer as well.

"It was horrible, Auggie. I was so scared..." He knew immediately what she was talking about, and he moved from his postition in the chair to the bed, hands still gripping hers as he sat facing her. "Annie, you don't have to talk about this now. All you need to do is get better, you-" "No, Auggie, I have to tell someone now. It'll drive me crazy if I don't.

I didn't want you in my ear, not with us fighting. Maybe if I hadn't been mad at you then none of this would have happened. I don't know what came over me, honestly, I was just so angry," she paused long enough to hiccup and draw in a shaky, sniffling breath. "Everything was going so well at first, and then I was jumped leaving my hotel room. I hadn't even finished closing the door. Next thing I know, theres a cloth bag over my head and I'm fighting for air. When I woke up, I was tied to a chair, blindfolded, and, well..." She trailed off again, disentangling her hand from his. The warmth was gone for just a few seconds before she was lifting one to her face. Gingerly, she touched the tips of his fingers to the scabbed cuts along her face, stiffling a gasp at the touch. He cringed, but didn't move his hand from her face. "Next thing I know, I wake up with my hands tied together and my ankles tied together, and I'm sliding all around in the back of a van. Then there was this guy, this horrible man standing at the end of the van. He slung me over his shoulder, bounced me around, and reopened my cuts," she pulled his other hand towards her ribs, biting her bottom lip as his fingers ghosted over the throbbing wounds. "Then I passed out again. I woke up again...t-tie-tied to a b-bed." Her voice had dropped to a whisper, and even with his super-human hearing, he had to shift closer to hear her. His hands moved from her wounds to grasp her hands again. They had grown clammy in his absence. She was hiccuping again, crying too hard to continue.

_Tied to a bed..._ Horror flashed briefly in his amaurotic eyes before his arms scooped under her back. He pulled her close, instinct telling him she needed the close contact of a friend. Her arms snaked around his waist automatically, hugging him as tightly as she could. As grapefruit flushed through his nose, he fleetingly thought how great it would be to keep her there forever. _August Anderson, now is not the time to think such things. Annie needs you now, but not in the same ways you need her. Buck up, stop being so greedy, and help your best friend. _He drew her closer as his arms tightened, offering her the security she so desperately wanted. "A-and then he brought in the r-r-ats," her lips moved against the cloth of his tee shirt. He shuddered as she did. In her short time at the Agency, she had experienced more horrific events than most senior agents combined. It wasn't something he wished on anybody, especially Anne Walker.

"Annie, I know this can't suffice at all for what you've went through, but I'm here. Anything you need, anything at all, you just tell me. If you want me to fly to China to get you Chinese food, I'll do it. You want an elephant, I'll buy it. Just say the word and its yours." She was silent the entire time he spoke, and for a second he thought she had fallen asleep. Then she shifted oh so slightly, turning her face into his neck. "Thanks Aug, I owe you one."


	11. Author's Note

AndiDiozzo412

[:]I did, I did! And thanks! **ch8**

[:]Ha, I know how you feel. Shame on USA for making us wait so long! They should be ashamed of themselves. **ch6**

[:]Auggie has to be loved! He's just too damn adorable to not love! It should be a sin to hate him, it really should. **ch5**

bconn369

[:]Auggie probably would have never had this idea had it not been for brainstorming with my friend. Hope it didn't disappoint! **ch7**

[:]I'm glad it couldn't be "put down," so to say. Its not necessary to review each chapter, but thanks for the offer anyway. It means enough to know you were so anxious to read on that you paid no mind to the review button. Some authors would be selfish and ask you to go back and review 'em all, but not me! I love you for asking though :3 **ch5**

becutt

[:]Thank you. I love hearing that from everyone that says that. See, the suspense holds ya in place, doesn't it? Of course Auggie's goina save the day. Its one of the things he does best! **ch2**

Beth - Geek Chick

[:]Oh, don't be silly! What's an extra review or two between writers? We know we love them! You don't know what that means to me personally. I love your stories, so it made me all warm and fuzzy to know you liked mine! Hope the reunion didn't disappoint! **ch9**

[:]Found your first review! I'm glad you liked it, though. It really does mean quite a lot to me. **ch3**

ComicalEpiphanies

[:]Ha, you're telling me! I know it wouldn't be easy for me to get past, so I know it wouldn't be for her! **ch8**

Esmerelda Diana Parker

[:]Well, I'm not quite sure if I should have two that were holding her hostage or not. If so, it would make the sequel SOOOO much easier to write, because it would give me the sembelence of where it could go, instead of a completely pointless one, as I see it going now. It'd be interesting to have him come after Annie again. And yes, one did die. Hung himself, the bastard did! **ch10**

[:]Thank you! XD **ch9**

EtherealDemon

[:]Haha, I know I'm twisted. Not the best thing to admit, but at least I'm not denying it! **ch8**

[:]Thank you, I try XD **ch6**

[:]Thanks, really. **ch1**

FallenAngelFromTheSky

[:]Thanks, and I did! **ch1**

forbiddensong9

[:]I'm sorry it ended up kind of cliche. I know you asked to keep it away from that direction, but it just kind of...happened...Sorry, but thank you for the compliment and the review! **ch9**

Helena Alexandra

[:]Psh, never anyway near us! You're not supposed to know about my cloning machine, man...**ch2**

[:]Thank you, once again, for my Auggie plushie. I'm happy to have it! Honestly, I didn't think mine would be too good, but I ended up with 50+ reviews. Not the best, but definately not the worst. I'm happy with the outcome for it. So, ya never know how it'll turn out. My advice is to take the chance, if you're happy with the writing you do. Of course, its not my decision, but, yeah. Thanks again XD **ch1**

jcat30

[:]Your wish is my command. It's all up now! **ch3**

Katara97

[:]Haha, that's kind of what I was going for. Despite the ickyness of her situation, it left you in suspense, (hopefully) bringing you back for the rest! **ch8**

kate

[:]My length is my greatest downfall. I'm trying to work on that, but my muse literally comes in waves. Thanks, though! **ch9**

Lover of Reid

[:] Thank you, LoR, very much. I'm glad to know you liked it, I really am. Unfortunately, there will be no more chapters to this story, though I am starting a sequel to it. Keep an eye out for it! XD **ch10**

[:]Yes, poor Auggie! I'd gladly be his comfort, though! Haha! USA is crazy for making us wait so long! They should be glad that we love them enough to put up with it!** ch9**

[:]I've had a baby hamster climb me, and that's about as far as I'm willing to go, especially any time soon! A tame pet rat might be a different story, definately one thats been well fed. Not some starving disease-ridden one, though. Ugh, count me out! **ch8**

[:]Ben Mercer, no thank you. He's not my favorite character, not even close, and if I can avoid writing about him - except maybe his death! - then I will. And no worries about getting very involved with it, that's what I was hoping would happen! So please, feel free to get as involved as you want! **ch6**

[:]Of course we can't have Annie dying, not with Auggie waiting so impatiently for her to get home. Just can't do something that horrible to something that pretty, ya know? **ch5**

[:]I'm glad, I really am, that you think its great. Hope you liked chapter four and all that followed! **ch3**

mfaerie32

[:]What better way to end it! **ch8**

mudstalker

[:]Thank you, thank you very much. I love your stories, so again your review means quite a lot to me. Annie is fun to hurt, but you're right. It is more fun to see Auggie worried. Oh, and I plan to! XD **ch5**

Patricia Louise

[:]Thank you for your criticism, really. Not really harsh enough to damper my ego, but enough to tell me I'll need to work on my smoothing skills. **ch10**

[:]Had I answered at the time, I would have said yes. Now, though, I will say no for this particular line, but there will be a sequel. Gee, I wonder how many times I'm goina say that! **ch9**

[:]Well, I think we know how she got out, ahah. **ch8**

Peppy87

[:]I love that you loved it! **ch4**

reluctant-reporter

[:]Hope you liked it! **ch8**

slsilver

[:]Sorry, but I gotta end it there! Leaves you hanging for the next. No worries, it'll be here soon, though! _How does she get over this? _With the help of Auggie, of course! XD _Why does she owe him one? _For saving her life, silly! Even with them "fighting," she knows she can count on him for anything now. _Will Auggie ever get the girl? _Oh, I'm all for Augnie, so I think this one is pretty much inevetible! _How will she explain this to her sister? _Hmm, good question. I don't want to follow the usual quota and say she was mugged or something like that. This one will require some serious thinking! _Did Annie get pregnant from this? _Personally, I think that'd be interesting, but I'm not sure I should hit two pregnancy stories at once, ya know? It would create a lot of drama, but I'm just not sure if it should hit that path or not. Its up to you guys! _How does Auggie handle this? _Ha, a lot better than Annie! One of them has to remain strong! Thank you for your compliments, love, a fruit basket is in the mail! XD Kidding, of course. I'm broke, I can't afford a fruit basket! **ch10**

[:]Cliff hanger's are the easiest way to end a chapter, and it keeps ya coming back for more! **ch6**

[:]Thanks! Hope your wait wasn't too agonizing! **ch5**

Shakayla Monique

[:]It might have been FaF. Tokyo Drift, maybe? I can't remember. **ch9**

[:]Sorry about that, it was just one of the worst things I could imagine. I was trying not to put my own fears into this. Can't really see her drowning XD **ch8**

[:]Yep, that's exactly what I did. But really. I'm glad it was worth it to wait for the next part! **ch3**

soccergirlmich

[:]Thank you! I love all reviews, but especially ones that tell me how much they loved the story! I really didn't expect this sort of result from my first fanfic, but it made me very happy XD **ch6**

starbuckfaerie21

[:]Haha, glad you're excited XD **ch7**

[:]Not exactly in one complete piece, but home safely none the less! Auggie's there to heal all her wounds, though! I'd sure look forward to that myself :3 **ch6**

[:]Hope the wait wasn't too long, I'd hate to have disappointed you! **ch5**

[:]Yes. Poor, poor Annie. Good thing she's got an Auggie, eh? How lucky is she? I mean, really! Haha. **ch4**

[:]Thank you. Thank you. XD **ch3**

[:]I don't know if its just me, but I just don't like the plushies as much as the real thing. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love my plushie, but a real Auggie would be much better! **ch2**

tinyxdancer

[:]Thanks! Congrats of Boise beating Oklahoma. I'm not big on sports, but congratulations anyway. If you were rooting for Boise, anyway! And no problem. It was my pleasure :3 **ch8**

ur no daisy

[:]Isn't Annie always vulnerable? Haha. But that just makes Auggie all the greater, agreed? **ch1**

vampire865

[:]I thought so too, hence my decision to keep it going instead of taking the easy route and trashing it. Thanks for reading, though, and I apologize if it didn't go quite the way you wanted. Just the way it played out in my mind, ya know? I write what I see, its all visual to me. **ch8**


End file.
